Even without a law, a helmet is a must-have Before you head out on the highway looking for adventure make sure it isn’t a ticket that comes your way. This guide details the helmet laws state by state to help riders follow the rules. Of course, the safest choice is to always wear a traditional (non-novelty) helmet that complies with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218. Besides getting a ticket for not wearing a helmet in certain states, there is even more incentive—not properly protecting yourself could increase your risk of injury or even death. Just 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, have universal motorcycle helmet laws requiring usage despite the fact that studies show that helmets can help reduce your injury risk in a crash. They are about 37 percent effective in preventing deaths and about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries from motorcycle crashes. (See our 10 safety tips for new riders.) In states that institute laws, deaths and injuries from motorcycle accidents typically drop.

Unfortunately, the opposite also proves true when such laws are repealed. Nearly 100 percent of motorcyclists riding in states with helmet laws were wearing them. In states without the laws, helmet use was about 50 percent.icon daytona jacket motorcycle leather Getting more riders to wear helmets is important: As more motorcyclists have taken to the road over the last few years, rider fatalities have grown even more rapidly especially compared to cars.  motorcycle shops in duncan bcIn 2012, over 4,900 motorcyclists died on the roads--that is 15 percent of the total highway fatalities and an increase of 33 percent from 2003-2012.lebron motorcycle jacket

Before embarking on a long-distance ride, check out our list of which states have universal laws requiring helmet use. The best move is to keep things simple and safe: Wear a quality, DOT-approved helmet even if it’s not the law in your state or wherever you are traveling.motorcycle repair shops in addison il 17 and younger riders and passengersmotorcycles for sale topeka ks For more on motorcycles, see our buying advice and our special section covering safety, reliability, first rides and more.motorcycle shops hornsby Motorcycles & Scooters Ratingshonda motorcycle parts cebu

View and compare all Motorcycles & Scooters ratings. Build & Buy Car Buying Service Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shop Motorcycle helmet laws vary widely among the states and have changed a lot in the past half a century. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, known as universal helmet laws. Laws requiring only some motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 28 states. There is no motorcycle helmet use law in three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire). In the past, many more states had universal helmet laws, thanks to pressure from the federal government. In 1967, states were required to enact helmet use laws in order to qualify for certain federal safety programs and highway construction funds. The federal incentive worked. By the early 1970s, almost all the states had universal motorcycle helmet laws.

However, in 1976, states successfully lobbied Congress to stop the Department of Transportation from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws. Low-power cycle is a generic term used by IIHS to cover motor-driven cycles, mopeds, scooters, and various other 2-wheeled cycles excluded from the motorcycle definition. While state laws vary, a cycle with an engine displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less, and top speeds of 30 mph or less typically is considered an low-power cycle. Twenty-three states have motorcycle helmet laws that cover all low-power cycles. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have laws that cover some low-power cycles. Table: motorcycle helmet laws history Hover over map for more detail.Does Iowa require motorcycle riders or passengers to wear a helmet? -- Please select -- for car insurance rates: Please Enter Your Zip: Remember when your mother told you helmets were cool because they save lives?

Helmets are uncool, because the essence of cool is just not giving a damn, and by wearing a helmet you are showing that you do indeed care about the contents of your cranium. Square as that may be, having a working brain is awesome, and helmets – in theory, at least – keep your melon protected from all the life changing trauma a motorcycle accident invites.Some states require you to wear one, and not just on when you’re on a motorcycle, but also when you ride a scooter and motorized bike (or moped), as well. State Motorcycle Helmet Laws Three states (Iowa, Illinois, and New Hampshire) have no helmet laws at all, but every other state has a helmet law of some sort. Plenty of states require everyone to wear a motorcycle helmet, and states that don’t have mandatory helmet laws for all do require motorcycle riders younger than a certain age (17, 18, and 20, depending on the state) to wear a helmet (probably due to the lobbying of moms). Check out our page on motorcycle licensing to determine your state’s helmet laws.

Helmet requirements for other types of bikes like motor-driven cycles, mopeds, and scooters vary from state to state, as do laws requiring bike helmets, though in all states those requirements only apply to minors riding bicycles. Texas used to have a law that required anyone riding a motorcycle without a helmet to also carry a minimum of $10,000 worth of insurance for injuries incurred in a motorcycle accident to excuse himself or herself from the requirement of wearing a helmet. That requirement went out the window in 2009, when Governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 1967 into law. Check with your state about any insurance issues related to wearing (or not wearing) a helmet. You can also access motorcycle insurance info and requirements in our Insurance Center. That same senate bill above also made it illegal for cops to pull over helmetless riders for the sole purpose of determining whether or not the person had successfully completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course.

While helmet laws vary by state, it’s worth checking if safe-rider course completion earns you the right to ride without a helmet. Yet, it also made it a requirement that a person seeking to obtain a motorcycle license complete a safety course. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers safe-riding courses you can check out online. Check with your DMV or motorcycle manual about motorcycle safety course requirements and helmet laws. Do you prefer riding with or without a helmet, and why? Share your comments below. Josh Tyson is a Denver-based writer, editor, poet, and musician (New Age Dad). He currently is the managing editor of UX Magazine. When Josh isn't talking tech, he covers the high-drama world of driver licensing and vehicle registration. More articles by Josh TysonSmile for the Camera! NJ Plans to Crack Down on Drinking (Coffee) and Driving Pokémon NO: Why You Shouldn’t Catch and Drive “Teen Driver” Technology: A Parent’s Personal Private Eye